Long-running singing competition series “American Idol” has had big plans for its 20th anniversary season, culminating in what is being called “The Great Idol Reunion” episode. Deadline reports that many fan-favorite finalists are booked to appear.
Here is what you need to know:
The Episode is May 2 & Boasts At Least a Dozen Former Finalists
According to Deadline, on May 2 the show will air its “Great Idol Reunion,” which will welcome back finalists that include Ruben Studdard, Jordin Sparks, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery, David Cook, Kris Allen, Laine Hardy, Laci Kaye Booth, Maddie Poppe, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Willie Spence and Grace Kinstler.
“It’s a testament to this show’s incredible legacy that we are able to celebrate 20 years of ‘American Idol’ in this extraordinary way,” said showrunner and exec producer Megan Michaels Wolflick, in a statement. “We are so thrilled to welcome back some of our most beloved alumni from over the years to reunite on the ‘Idol’ stage. ‘American Idol’ continues to create superstars just as it has done since 2002 and bringing back these Idol Icons is the perfect way to herald the next generation.”
This comes on the heels of “American Idol” welcoming alums Studdard, Sparks, Cook, Alaina, Lee DeWyze, and Haley Reinhart as mentors during Hollywood Week, plus the new in-house mentors for the Top 24 are going to be Jimmie Allen and Bebe Rexha. Allen was on “American Idol” season 10 but was cut during Hollywood Week, while Rexha auditioned for “American Idol” once and never even got in front of the judges.
There is no word yet as to whether the reunion episode will feature two of the biggest alumni from the show, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, both of whom went on to win multiple Grammys and sell tens of millions of albums worldwide after their time on “American Idol.”
Both ladies have returned to the show to perform for various season finales over the years. Underwood performed for the finales of seasons 10, 15 and 17, while Clarkson returned for the finales of seasons six and 15. So if they aren’t busy touring or working on other projects, perhaps the show will get them to appear for the 20th anniversary.
The Alumni Reunion Lineup
Deadline reports that the alumni will be performing in pairs: Studdard and Sparks, Alaina and McCreery, Cook and Allen, Hardy and Booth, Poppe and Hutchinson, and Spence and Kinstler.
Studdard was the season two winner and Sparks won season six. Alaina and McCreery finished in second and in first places, respectively, in season 10. Cook won season seven and Allen won season eight. Hardy won season 17 and Booth was a top five finalist on the same season. Poppe won season 16 and Hutchinson was the runner-up and the two are dating. Spence was the runner-up of season 19 and Kinstler was the third-place finisher on the same season.
If they do manage to get Clarkson and Underwood to sign on, that would make a pretty incredible pairing. Over the years, people have tried to paint the two of them as having some sort of “feud” — rumors that Clarkson shut down at the 2018 Radio Disney Music Awards red carpet.
Clarkson and Underwood posed together for red carpet photos and then Clarkson told “Entertainment Tonight,” “Everybody always tries to pit me and Carrie against each other. So, when I saw her I was like, ‘You know what? Let’s just end this right now and get a picture together because we are never in the same place. And, like, it never happens. And people always try to put it together like we’re enemies. And I’m like, ‘We don’t even know each other well enough to be enemies.’ So, anyway, I went to get a picture and then everybody lost their mind.”
“American Idol” is currently in its 20th season. It airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific times on ABC.
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